Tea and blanket treatment

Another unexpected consequence of being someone's wife - puking all over the bathroom.

It wasn't enough that married women had limited working hours and were not allowed to travel freely, their reproduction also depended on their husbands! The explanation she got from the pharmacists, and then her gynaecologist, was that the reason for getting married was having children anyway, and why would any married woman need hormonal birth control? After all, there were other contraceptive methods.

She would complain to Tsunade as soon as the nausea stopped.

Stupid equipment, stupid marriage, stupid rules.

"Ino."

Great. The last thing she needed was explaining her vomiting to her fake husband.

"Everything okay in there?"

Everything was not okay. Leaving the bathroom wasn't possible, she didn't trust herself to let go of the sink yet. Short glimpse at the mirror only confirmed how she felt - her cheeks pale and her forehead sweaty.

"It's fine," she said, wiping the sweat with her palm. "I just need a moment."

"Several moments passed after my question," Ino heard a firm voice from the other side of the door. "Are you decent?"

"It's not necessary," Ino said, holding on to the sink with both hands again. "I will be okay soon."

"I suppose you are decent," Orochimaru said and Ino heard a door knob click. "I am coming in."

"No, really, you shouldn't!"

The cold air from the living room didn't help the nausea, but it made clear for how long Ino has been occupying the bathroom.

"No wonder you are not feeling well." Orochimaru's voice was too loud now, when they were crammed in a small space. "Let's step outside for a moment."

Even with her eyes closed, Ino felt Orochimaru's closeness, despite his much quieter voice.

"And what if," she said, then swallowed, still not opening her eyes, "what if I need to vomit again?"

"Worst case it will end up on the floor and I will clean it up."

After another swallow, Ino opened her eyes and faced both hers and Orochimaru's reflection in the mirror.

"What?" she asked, seeing him watching her with a shocked expression.

"I have never seen you this pale before."

"I thought you preferred pale," she said with a weak smile.

"I prefer you not vomiting. Come on, I will help you."

He reached out to take her hand, still clutching the sink.

"No point in arguing over my help," he said softly, after she didn't accept his hand. "If you could leave the bathroom by yourself, you would have already done it. Unless you want me to carry you."

"Walking will do," she said, slowly letting go of the ceramic support.

When Orochimaru embraced her around the waist, she clung to his shoulder with both hands.

"Are you feeling dizzy?"

"A bit."

"Probably due to loss of fluids."

Ino nodded shortly, concentrating on not looking at the floor while they were approaching the couch.

"Rest here while I make tea," he instructed her after she sat down.

"I might vomit again," she warned him.

"This type of tea will calm your stomach," he explained before going to his room.

Ino truly hoped so.

If she knew she would throw up everything she ate, she wouldn't have eaten anything. More importantly, she would have insisted on getting another dosage of birth control. Unless it wasn't related to it and she would experience this every four weeks until menopause, which meant for approximately another thirty years.

The rattling of the dishes interrupted those depressing thoughts.

"Any improvement yet?"

Her fake husband was unusually loud today.

"It didn't get worse," she replied.

The couch was comfortable and while sitting, she controlled her breathing more easily. And yes, the living room smelled much better than the bathroom, like Orochimaru immediately noticed.

"The tea needs to rest for a while," he announced and Ino opened her eyes to see him staring at her.

"Feeling any better?" he asked.

"Maybe a bit."

"Do you know what made you feel nauseous?"

"Cramps," she said, "from my period."

His blank face revealed he had no idea what she meant by period.

"My menstrual cycle."

He frowned, then asked, "Are you sure?"

Ino sighed.

"Do you need to see my used tampons?"

"No." Ino didn't miss his disgusted expression. "But if this happens monthly, shouldn't you be better prepared? I mean, imagine you start vomiting in the middle of the surgery or-"

"It was okay until you," Ino interrupted, not ready to talk about vomiting.

"Until me?"

"Until marriage."

"How is that related to your cycle?"

Ino took a deep breath and shut her eyes again, the talking required too much energy.

"Do you have a fever?"

Until Orochimaru's question, she wasn't aware she hugged herself neither that her lower lip was trembling.

"I don't know," she managed despite the newest symptom of dehydration.

"Are you cold?" her husband persisted.

She shrugged. At least she meant to shrug.

"Wait here."

Like she was in shape to go somewhere. She would probably be more comfortable lying down, but that position also meant feeling more nauseous. Getting to the bathroom would be faster if she remained in a sitting position, but it also meant struggling to keep her head straight.

Was every menstruation this bad for women who didn't use hormonal birth control? Or was this a side effect of taking hormones for years?

"Here is the blanket."

Orochimaru's voice made her open her eyes. He held a grey blanket.

"It's clean, I don't use it, I keep it in my closet, just in case."

Despite not having a clue about menstruation, he deserved a small smile.

"I don't think that's important at the moment."

"Right," he said, nodding. "Anyway, here it is."

Orochimaru spread the blanket and Ino straightened up, so he could wrap her in the soft fabric more easily.

Its scent was fresh, she felt as she inhaled deeply. And the dreadful thought crossed her mind.

"Are my clothes dirty?" she asked, her mouth hidden behind the blanket.

"I don't know."

"What about my hair?"

Her voice was desperate now.

"I didn't notice, leaving the dangerous surroundings was the most important."

"Dangerous surroundings?"

"Losing balance in the bathroom is more dangerous than losing it while sitting on the couch, isn't it?"

"Changing the subject means yes, doesn't it?"

"I should check on the tea."

Ino covered her head with the blanket.

Avoiding the answer definitely meant yes and she might spend the following week avoiding her fake husband, too embarrassed of her vomiting, dirty clothes and hair. And it wasn't even her fault!

"Here's the tea," Orochimaru said and Ino peeked from under the blanket. "My guess is that one cup should be enough."

He placed the said cup on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"I prefer the hot tea, but it will be equally effective if it's drunk lukewarm," he said and sat in the armchair. "How are you feeling?"

"Warm," she said. "And a lot more comfortable than in the bathroom."

"Your stomach?"

"Still unpredictable," she said. "Let's try tea."

They reached out for the cup at the same time, only Ino remained sitting and Orochimaru got up, so he picked up the cup first.

"Sorry," he said, placing the cup back on the table. "I thought you were still feeling dizzy."

"No, I am sorry," Ino said, taking the cup. "I should have been more specific. Thank you for the tea."

Orochimaru nodded instead of answering, watching her from the armchair.

"After I drink this," Ino said, lifting the cup, "maybe I should go lie down in my own room."

"No!" Orochimaru protested, gripping the sides of the armchair. "I mean, what if you need something? I won't hear you. Or notice if you need anything."

Ino blew tea to cool it a bit.

"I will be fine," she said, then took a sip of tea.

"You can be fine on the couch too," her husband persisted, now with his arms crossed. "I will be quiet, so you might even fall asleep."

Ino neither had the will nor strength to argue about the place of her rest, so she drank the tea. Her sips were small, both because of the hot beverage and her sensitive stomach. Orochimaru watched her in silence, probably alert in case she would throw up again. After one third of the cup, Ino felt only warmth.

"Where were you hiding this tea until now?" she asked. "I don't think I ever tasted something alike."

"It's a mix of different dried herbs. I keep them in my room."

"You picked the herbs by yourself?"

"How else?"

"Maybe you could show me. And also teach me how to mix them."

"Maybe," he agreed.

She drank more tea in silence. Orochimaru didn't mention it again, so she concluded she wasn't showing signs of fever. The soft blanket and warm tea definitely helped her body to recover from the nauseated episode.

"How much tea do you have left?" Orochimaru asked after she just held the cup for several moments.

"Half of the cup," Ino said after inspecting the cup.

"Then I think it's safe to assume your stomach is ready for more liquid," Orochimaru said then got up.

"Will you make more of this tea?" Ino asked as her husband was heading to the kitchen.

"It's not necessary any more," he said, opening the cabinets. "Mint should also be okay."

Ino nodded into the blanket, relieved the worst of nausea was behind her. After another sip, she put the cup on the table. Lukewarm tea would also do, but a bit later. Her stomach needed a break. Comfy and warm, her eyelids felt heavier by every passing minute.

"What about the painkiller?" Orochimaru's clear and loud question from the kitchen ended Ino's thoughts about sleeping. "Did you manage to take some?"

"Yeah. I have a fast effective one for emergencies."

"Maybe you took too much, so that caused nausea."

"Maybe."

"Anyhow, the mint needs to rest, then cool down, and then it will be ready for drinking," Orochimaru informed her and took his seat in the armchair. "I will be here in the meantime, in case you need anything."

"Thank you," she said, smiling, tucking herself in the blanket.

"You should lie down to be more comfortable," her husband suggested. "A good rest will be better than any kind of tea."

"And I think your special tea helped a lot," she said, but also laid down on the couch, wrapped in a blanket.

Orochimaru also got more comfortable, leaning into the armchair. It seemed rude to ignore his presence, when he has done everything to make her feel better.

"And what brings you home so early?"

"You, actually."

"Me?" she repeated. "How?"

And then he started explaining something about Tsunade, four months, horny resort and impressive donation.

A lot of it remained unknown and Ino wanted to ask more questions, but it would have been in vain.

From her spot on the couch she couldn't see very well, but she clearly heard that Orochimaru was snoring! It was the first time she witnessed someone fall asleep in the middle of the conversation.

She had no intention of waking up her evidently tired husband, but her period and the tea she drank forced her to visit the bathroom. Orochimaru's snoring remained unchanged, meaning her walking was quiet enough.

After handling the tampon situation, the next step was inspecting her clothes and hair. It seemed okay, but Ino decided to change anyway. And a bit later, wash the hair too.

With a washed face and brushed teeth, Ino felt much better, so she turned off the light in the bathroom and padded to her room. Despite the dark living room, she was certain her movements didn't disturb Orochimaru's sleep, his deep and even breathing was a good proof.

And then it hit her! She needed the light in the bathroom a moment ago and now in her room, it got dark outside while she was wrapped in the blanket, so it wasn't Orochimaru who fell asleep, but her! She did feel sleepy, but how could she doze off while he spoke? Maybe it was the tea's fault, it never happened before. Nevertheless she would check with her husband, as soon as he woke up.

In the middle of putting on a cute orange shirt, she heard a knock on the door and then her husband.

"Ino, are you in there?"

"Yeah!" she replied, readjusting her shirt and shorts.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just changing!"

"Changing?"

"My clothes," she explained and opened the door.

The lights were off in the living room, so the lights from Ino's room blinded her still not fully roused husband.

"What was wrong with your clothes? Did you vomit again?"

"I didn't, thanks to your tea."

"Oh. Good."

Despite being on the other side of the door, in the dark living room, it was obvious Orochimaru had just woken up. His clothes were wrinkled and he was making a strange grimace. Could it be that he was trying not to yawn?

"I am sorry if I woke you up, I really needed to use the bathroom."

"I wasn't asleep, you were. I stayed by your side in case you needed something."

"You also fell asleep."

"I did not. It got dark so you didn't see me sitting in the armchair."

"Oh yeah? Then who was snoring?"

"I was certainly not snoring."

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't."

Why was he denying it? Didn't he just witness her most embarrassing moment, on her period, vomiting and unable to walk without his assistance? How was falling asleep in the armchair worse than that? Or she was sleepy and imagined the whole thing.

"Okay, you didn't," she said to change the topic. "Can you please turn on the lights while I am folding the blanket?"

After pressing the light switch, Orochimaru went to the kitchen while she, as she said she would, was folding the blanket.

"Will you put it back in your room?" she asked, now holding the folded blanket. "I don't think it needs washing."

"Or you can put it in your room," he suggested. "To use it again if necessary."

It was actually a good idea. She couldn't know what the second day of her period might bring.

Leaving the blanket on her bed for potential tomorrow's emergency, she joined her husband in the kitchen, having vague memories of the tea he made before she fell asleep.

There were no cups or a teapot on the table, so she must have imagined that too.

"Didn't you make another tea, in addition to the mixed one?" she asked her husband who was busy with the teapot.

"I did, but it got cold. I will make a fresh one," he explained.

"The cold one would have been fine too."

"The herbs were in the water for too long. It would have been too strong."

Now she chuckled.

"No wonder you work so late. Everything you do must be perfect."

"It's not done unless it's perfect."

There was no point in arguing with a perfectionist, so Ino sat down at the table, patiently waiting for a freshly made beverage.

"I am glad you got home earlier than usual though," she said after receiving her steaming cup of tea. "I would have been stuck in the bathroom for who knows how long."

Sitting opposite of her, Orochimaru carefully sipped his tea.

"I still don't understand how it's my fault," he said, placing his cup on the table.

Technically it was Ino's fault. She didn't feel like arguing with her gynaecologist and it was easier to blame Orochimaru who was her husband and the marriage complicated everything, access to the birth control included.

"You are not familiar with the menstrual cycle, are you?" she asked, knowing his answer in advance.

"Correct."

"Then I guess you have no idea how hormonal birth control works."

"Also correct."

Now she sighed.

"You are my husband and-"

"I am disrupting the effectiveness of birth control?"

"No."

"What am I doing then? I did not forbid you to use it."

"Yes, but my gynaecologist convinced me I didn't need it any more, now that I am married."

"Why wouldn't you need it if you were married?"

"Because we should start working on a baby."

Orochimaru clearly misunderstood what she meant, spilling the tea all over the table. Luckily the sturdy cup didn't break, but Orochimaru had to make tea for himself again.

"What do you mean?" he asked, wiping the table with the cloth.

"She thinks the reason to get married is to have children," Ino explained to her confused husband.

"Ah," he said and threw the cloth in the sink. Now when he stood up, Ino noticed his tea spilled on his clothes too.

"Oh no, now you also need to change."

"Never mind," he said, ignoring his clothes. "Are you sure the nausea is the consequence of not taking hormones?"

"I am not sure, it's my guess. Everything else is the same."

"Will it happen again tomorrow?"

"I hope not."

"But you don't know?"

"I don't."

"And for how long will it last?"

"What?"

"Your period."

Her brain obviously didn't wake up entirely, so she asked stupid questions. Of course Orochimaru thought of her period, it was the cause of her nausea. What was worse, the answer wouldn't satisfy her husband.

"I don't know," she admitted. "While on birth control, it lasted four days, five tops."

"So now it will last longer?"

"I don't know. Maybe it will be the same, I can't tell for sure."

"Will you experience cramps also?"

"I hope not. I mean, probably not until next month."

"Meaning thirty days?"

Now she felt like a complete idiot.

"I don't know."

Orochimaru sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Sorry," she said, shrugging.

"You don't have to apologize," he assured her. "I mean, you didn't do anything. On the other hand, it really might be my fault."

"How? You didn't do anything either."

"I did. I exposed you to hormones then to hormonal blocker. And all of it without consulting you first."

"Ah."

It was true she didn't feel well on their last day at the horny resort, but the cause could be anything, from general tiredness to constantly faking their happy marriage.

"It's okay," she said. "It's not like you did it on purpose."

"It was still without your consent."

There was no way she would discuss consent again! It would imminently bring up their kiss and they were getting along just fine! Now when he mentioned hormones, maybe they were to blame for the kiss. Since it happened, they were together in numerous situations where kissing between spouses would be completely normal. Nothing in Orochimaru's behaviour was revealing he would like to repeat it, neither as his own wish nor for the sake of the pretence.

"Maybe it's not related," she said. "After all, you were exposed too."

"Maybe, but you are the only woman who tried blockers."

"Didn't it pass enough time from the usage?"

"I don't know. Three people using it isn't enough for any kind of conclusion."

"You know what?" she said while smiling so he would stop frowning. "We will be a lot smarter next month. Unless we go to the resort in the meantime."

"That way we will eliminate those hormones as the cause," he agreed, nodding. "I don't expect another invitation in the next four months, so we can test all the other options."

"Four months? Why would you choose that timeframe?"

"Didn't I retell you about it?"

"About what?"

"You probably don't remember, you fell asleep on the couch."

"That never happened before. Maybe it's your special tea's fault," she said, sipping her tea.

"Okay, never mind. I spoke to Tsunade today and if we continue collecting money at the same pace as we did until now, we will reach our goal in four months."

"Four months?"

Now a bit of her tea ended on the table.

"So soon?"

Orochimaru took the cloth again, but he seemed happy instead of annoyed.

"Well, it's a very optimistic prediction, and it will probably be a bit longer than that, but my guess is it will happen within a year."

"That's fantastic news!" She put the cup down and clapped happily. "That's why you came home earlier, to tell me!"

"Yeah."

That meant not only were they a convincing couple, but also all of their pretending wasn't in vain! They were married for some time now and Ino didn't hate Orochimaru's company, so what was another four months?

Only his frown was telling her he didn't share her opinion.

"What's wrong? Did you expect more money until now?"

"No, not at all, it's not about the money. Your next period concerns me."

"I could endure these side effects for four months. Especially if it happens only on the first day."

"Out of the question. I am a scientist and my wife won't suffer if there is a cure."

"Thank you."

Now he smiled.

"In the meantime, drink your tea."

And she did, hoping it might calm her racing mind which was already spending the money she might get in four months' time.